The Ohio State University
Pets for Vets on Campus at The Ohio State University
381 Bricker Hall
190 N Oval Mall
Columbus, Ohio 43210
Email:
The Official Constitution for Pets for Vets on Campus at
The Ohio State University
Article I Name
Section 1 The Organization shall be known as the Pets for Vets on Campus at The Ohio State University.
Article II Purpose
Section 1 To support Pets for Vets Columbus a 501(c)(3) via fundraising.
Section 2 To provide volunteering opportunities for students interested in the cause.
Article III Membership
Section 1 Membership shall be open to anyone interested in supporting Pets for Vets who is affiliated and in Good Standing with The Ohio State University. Membership to the Organization shall not be denied to any person on the basis of age, sex, disability, race, national origin, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Nor shall removal from the Organization be based on these statuses (see Article III, Section 4).
Section 2 There are two levels of general membership status within the Organization: active member and inactive member. In order to be considered an active member, the individual must pay dues set at $6.00 per semester or $10.00 for an academic year and have a signed volunteer release of liability through Pets for Vets, Inc. on file. Active members are permitted to volunteer at events, participate in Organization events, foster through Pets for Vets Columbus, and be affiliated with the Organization. Inactive members have previously been affiliated with the Organization but all stipulations for that semester or academic year have not been met. Inactive members are unable to participate in events until all stipulations for that semester have been met.
Section 3 General members are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate and respectful manner at all Organization events based on common sense and respect. Should a member fail to conduct themselves in such a way, their membership status with the Organization shall be reconsidered objectively at the discretion of the Executive Board. A two-thirds majority vote by the Executive Board is required for the removal of said member from the Organization. For criteria for the removal of Executive Board members, see Article VIII, Section 9.
Article IV Qualifications and Naming of Officers
Section 1 The officers of the Organization shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicist, Fundraising Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator, and Member Coordinator and any others decided by the Executive Board.
Section 2 Applicants for office shall have been Active Members for at least one semester preceding the application.Applications will begin during the Spring semester.
Section 3 Officers must be attending The Ohio State University for the duration of their term unless otherwise specified. Officers may be excused due to graduation or study abroad, however must be in attendance at The Ohio State University during elections.
Section 4 Officers shall forfeit their position if unable to attend the required meetings due to non-academic factors. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Executive Board.
Article V Executive Board
Section 1 The Executive Board shall consist of all positions stated in Article IV and shall include the Faculty Advisor.
Section 2 Executive Board meetings shall be held at the discretion of said Executive Board. Executive Board meetings are open to all members of the Organization, unless otherwise announced at least one week in advance.
Section 3 It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to direct and coordinate all proceedings of the Organization.
Section 4 All elected Officers are expected to attend all Executive Board and General meetings. If the President or Secretary is informed of an absence with a valid reason at least one week prior to said meetings, then the Officer will be excused. Valid reasons include midterm or final examinations, other University-sanctioned events, and a death in the family. Exceptions in the case of emergencies, illness, and other situations shall be made at the discretion of the President who must be notified immediately.
Section 5 In order for a member of the Executive Board to be Active, they must not have missed more than two meetings total per semester. Upon an Executive Board member’s third unexcused absence, they will automatically be considered for impeachment at the next Executive Board meeting according to the protocol laid out in Article VIII, Section 9.
Section 6 In the event that an Executive Board member wishes to resign, ample notification of at least 2 weeks must be given directly to the President with reason for resignation. The President will then notify the entire Executive Board appropriately and a special application will be announced to replace the position.
Article VI Duties of Officers
Section 1 It shall be the duty of the President to arrange and preside over all meetings and to cast the deciding vote in the case of a tie. The President is also responsible for registering the club each year at The Ohio State University, communicating with the State Pets for Vets chapter and overseeing executive decisions. The President will change EIN information as appropriate, develop agenda for all executive board meetings, develop timeline of events, finalize all decisions on events and programs, communicate with Advisor, conflict resolution and problem solving, and register for the Student Involvement fairs. The President must attend the required training session through the Union.The President must have served on the Executive Board in another Officer position for at least one year prior to taking office.
Section 2 It shall be the duty of the Vice President to preside in the absence of the President and to oversee all of the club’s activities alongside the President. The Vice President will book meeting locations, keep track of past events, create plan of action for each member, communicate with speakers, organize the Google Drive, book event spaces, keep history of past executive board members and Organization contacts, double check Social media posts, and develop at least one awareness event per semester. The Vice President will have preferably served in another Officer position for at least one year prior to taking office, although it is not required. In the event there is no Vice President for a given academic year, the roles and responsibilities of the Vice President shall be transferred to the President.
Section 3 It shall be the duty of the Secretary to record minutes of all executive meetings and send them to the executive board, to develop a Google Drive checklist of responsibilities for each Executive member after each meeting, to keep a record of the names and e-mail addresses of all members, and to carry on all correspondence. The Secretary is also responsible for administering the Pets For Vets email account and maintaining login information for all accounts associated with the email. A weekly email must be sent out no later than 10pm on Sunday and all Executive Board members shall submit any pertinent information to the Secretary by Saturday evening at 5pm. Additional emails must be sent out in a timely manner as they come in from other officers. Emails shall be sent to the mailing list via MailChimp or another emailing platform deemed suitable by the Executive Board.
Section 4 It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and transfer all funds of the Organization and to keep an itemized account of monetary transactions. The Treasurer is to provide the Executive Board with a record of all transactions. It shall also be the duty of the Treasurer to financially oversee the Organization’s fundraising activities, to manage the Organization’s checkbook and debit card, to manage the Organization’s banking account, to manage EIN information, Square account, and PayPal, to ensure all Executive members are trained on Square, to oversee use of the money box, to apply for Programming and Operating funds and communicate deadlines, and to oversee funds and reimbursements. The Treasurer must attend the required training session through the Union.
Section 5 The duties of the Fundraising Coordinator shall be as follows: To provide activities and opportunities for the Organization’s members to raise funds for the use of the Organization or other previously specified organizations. There may be up to two co-chairs elected. At least one fundraising activity shall be planned per month, including t-shirt sales in the first semester, one restaurant fundraiser per semester, and one dog fundraising activity per semester. The Fundraising Coordinator will also submit BEN requests for outdoor space on campus, communicate with companies for donations, keep line of communication open with partners, develop list of supplies for each event, help develop publicity materials, and set fundraising goals.
Section 6 The duties of the Volunteer Coordinator shall be as follows: To contact membership regarding volunteering opportunities, to develop volunteer sign-ups at least 2 weeks in advance, to coordinate transportation for events if necessary, to ensure appropriate members volunteer at fundraising events, to provide instruction and assistance at fundraising events for members, to coordinate involvement with other organizations, to oversee the Pets for Vets Columbus student fostering program, to coordinate weekly foster visits to the Veteran’s lounge, to plan 1 shelter volunteering event per semester, to coordinate with outside volunteers for fundraising events or promotional events, and to keep members who volunteer accountable. The Volunteer Coordinator will also assist with finding speakers to come to general meetings and continuously find more unique opportunities for involvement with both veterans and animals.
Section 7 The duties of the Publicist shall be as follows: To prepare flyers announcing meetings and activities and to distribute them to the membership and participate in any other appropriate means of advertising. All advertising shall follow the timeline set forth by the official Publicity Plan. The Publicist is also responsible for maintaining and updating the Organization’s website and social media accounts including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The amount of money for advertising allotted to the Publicist shall be determined by the Executive Board prior to any expenses incurred. The Publicist has preference for marketing supplies provided through the Ohio Union. The Publicist will also maintain the branding of Pets for Vets Inc., submit events to the OUAB calendar, provide Logo & Brand continuation, acquire training in Photoshop or other image editing software to create flyers, communicate with University photographers, and submit a weekly summarizing post akin to the weekly email with an attached veteran-dog media via Social networkingaccountsand email entitled “Woof Wednesday” every Wednesday during the academic year.
Section 8 The duties of the Member Coordinator shall be as follows: to collect membership dues, to keep record of Active and Inactive members, to circulate a sign-in sheet at every general meeting and event, to collect contact information of general members, help with the organization of Patriot Partners, and to develop at least one social event per semester with Patriot Partners. The Member Coordinator will oversee Social Funds alongside the Treasurer and determine how those funds are dispersed.
Article VIII Selection of Officers
Section 1 Individuals planning to run for an Executive Board position must submit an Application which states their name, what position they are running for, why they are running for that position and their previous experience. Information in the Application will be shared amongst the Executive Board and satisfactory candidates will be interviewed.
Section 2 In the case that members are not eligible to run for an Executive Board position according to the requirements outlined in Article IV Sections 2 and 3, they may petition at the Executive Board meeting immediately prior to interviews. Members may still submit an application prior to petitioning. Petitions will be considered by the Executive Board on a case-by-case basis.
Section 3 Selection Procedure: Officers shall be selected for a term of one year at the general meeting before Spring Break second semester. An email will be sent out to all general members announcing the newly-elected Executive Board.
Section 4 The newly-elected officers will attend the remaining Executive Board meetings after elections, after Spring Break during which the previous officers and chairs will continue to serve their respective positions. During this time it is the responsibility of the old Executive Board members to share all relevant information and materials of their office with the new officers, thereby acquainting them with their elected duties.
Section 5 At the last general meeting following Spring Break of the second semester the new officers and chairs will assume the responsibilities of their elected positions, excluding Treasurer, Vice President, and President.
Section 6 Vacancies occurring in any office or chair, except for the office of President, shall be filled by a special selection for the remainder of the term. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall succeed to the office and a special application shall be held for a new Vice President for the following year. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Executive Board.
Section 7 In the event that a special application is held during the first semester of the year, eligibility to run for office shall be determined as follows: nominees shall have been Active Members for at least one semester during the year preceding the election. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Executive Board.
Section 8 Officers may be relieved of duty by a two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Board for non-performance of duty. The vote shall be conducted by secret ballot. A hearing shall be held prior to this vote by the Executive Board. The outcome shall be announced at the general meeting following the vote.
Article IX Faculty Advisor
Section 1 The Faculty Advisor(s) shall be a faculty and/or staff member of the Ohio State University
Section 2 In the event of a vacancy of office, the President is responsible for finding a new Faculty Advisor
Section 3 In order to supervise the expenses and earnings recorded by the Treasurer, a Faculty Advisor’s name shall be on the Organization’s bank account along with the President’s and Treasurer’s.
Article X Meetings
Section 1 Meetings shall be held weekly during the first and second semesters. Meetings will alternate between general and Executive Board meetings. The dates, places, and times for meetings will be decided by the Executive Board. Summer meetings or additional meetings shall be held at the discretion of the Executive Board.
Section 2 The Executive Board shall have the power to change the date, time, or place of the meetings if deemed necessary provided that an advanced notice of the change be circulated as soon as determined by the Executive Board with reasonable notice.
Section 3 As determined by the Executive Board, an Executive Board meeting may be changed into a General meeting if too many General meetings are canceled.
Article XII Voting
Section 1 A vote on issues other than those specified in this Constitution shall be carried out by a majority of members present. The following issues are a mandatory two-thirds vote: money issues excluding publicity, food, meeting supplies, and duties pertaining to officers; ratifying the Constitution, and overriding protocol. Any member may call for a two-thirds vote on another issue if they feel it is pertinent.
Section 2 Only members present in Good Standing or Active status for one semester are eligible to vote. Voting on Constitutional amendments will be a three meeting process. The change will be proposed at the first executive meeting, presented to the general membership at the next general meeting and the vote will commence at the next executive meeting.
Section 3 Any member who is eligible to vote may call for a secret ballot prior to a vote being taken.